A question

Can anyone tell me, if I, for example, not that I have, just thinking out loud here... anyway, if I hypothetically sold $65,000 worth of some item from my website or from an Etsy site, say something like a bracelet or a framed photo, how does the IRS know that I've made that money?

Are they just monitoring my bank accounts looking for anomolies or making sure the deposits match up to my tax returns?

Seriously, I am very curious about this.

Any thoughts?

Uninterested

and uninspired.

That's just where I am right now. I'm considering closing my blog. I don't know that I will, but the thought has crossed my mind lately.

I tried the 365 day photo project, but I don't really care to pick up my camera. Now that I've decided I really want a digitial SLR, my point and shoot just isn't cutting it. That project failed before it even left the dock.

The real estate thing has fallen to the wayside for so many reasons that are out of my control. I don't like things to be out of my control. I don't mind that I don't control gravity or the volcanoes erupting, but when it comes to the choices I make for my personal self, rather large and life altering changes I might add, I do want some form of control. Because our economy went into the crapper, and for other reasons I shan't go into, real estate just isn't feasible at this time. Actually pretty bummed about that.

Its snowing right now.

I desperately need some sunshine (75 - 80 degrees) and salty beaches. Its not just my sanity that craves it, my skin has taken a beating this cold, dry winter. Its just lovely to always be itchy. (Is that TMI?) Oh well.

I tried the Twitter thing. Not for me.

I've not been cooking, at all, for a couple weeks. Don't want to. I'm in a lull of sorts. I did make homemade samoas this weekend. It took two days and they weren't fabulous for having spent as much time as I did on them. BTW that site with the Samoas, also has recipes for Thin Mints, Do-si-dos and Tagalongs. If you are of a mind.

What else...?

Oh, Mister and I are playing the lottery more often these days. Someone has to win it right??!! Might as well be us.

Are you seeing a trend here? I am working my way out of this funk. Its just happening rather slowly. Any good thoughts and wishes would be appreciated.

Are you inspired? What inspires you? What do you do to bring yourself out of 'funks', if you ever have them that is.

Inauguration Day

I have few words. Something you may find unbelievable. Joy and Hope and Relief and Excitement and Inspiration. Those are just a few of my words for the day. And the words I will have for some time to come.

Are you planning or attending any events today? Mister and I are having a potluck gathering of friends and family in celebration of the incoming administration.

Yesterday's 365 photo.

7/365

This is yesterday's photo.

This is a close up of some pampas grass fronds we have in our sun room. They look so delicate and soft and in reality they are scratchy and stick to you. Still pretty though.

I am realizing forced creativity isn't my strong suit. I think this 365 days of photos will be more of a challenge for me than I originally thought and probably just exactly what my underdeveloped creative parts need.

I am always in awe of artists (any an all varieties).

Project 365

As you know by now, I'm doing my darn'dest (is that how you spell that colloquialism?) (Is that a colloquialism?)

Anyway...

So, I'm doing this Project 365 and posting all the photos on Flickr and most likely, they'll mostly get posted here too. I mean, I try to put up a photo of something, it may as well be those, right? Wow, I'm rambling and a bit incoherent today.

Oh, well.

I am a bit biased toward SOOC (straight out of the camera) photos. I've touched on this topic before. I'm not sure if that makes me some sort of photo purist or snob or just inept at using photo editing software. I see other people's touched up and edited photos and they can be amazing. I just really prefer mine, for the most part I guess I should say, as I see them in the view finder. This may be why I'll probably not ever be a famous photographer. That said, I haven't totally given up on that dream. Some day, maybe, could be, right? I mean, stranger things have happened.

The photos below are before and after. The first of each is SOOC. The second is after I've "touched" it up in an honest-to-goodness attempt at creating a better photo without going overboard and creating something unreal. Does that make sense?

Which do you like better, the befores or the afters? Why? Can you even tell the difference. My adjustments are pretty minor. I'd really like your opinion on the topic. How do you feel about touched up photos? I'm not talking, necessarily, about retouched portraits where someones blemishes or uneven skin tone is corrected. I actually think that's magic, in an unfair way. But, general run of the mill photos of landscapes and flowers and puppies and tigers. Do you think its fair for photographers to edit their photos making them "more perfect" than actual reality (as opposed to the fake reality?)? Does it create a type of Disney effect for our minds? Is that something that as humans we are all just always looking for, in everything? Are we looking for perfection and an unattainable reality? And if you agree with that thought process, why do you think that is? Ok, there you go, my heavy thinking for Friday.

3/365 - Morning in the City

Morning, so fabulous.

The hustle hasn't come to a full boil yet, sleepy eyed commuters carry their to-go coffee cups waiting until just the right moment to sneak a sip of the slightly too hot beverage inside, office lights in building windows somehow seem more magical, far fewer cars and honking horns on the road at this time of day, early morning pastry and bread deliveries smell just amazing of yeast and cinnamon as you walk past the bakeries and delivery trucks. The high pitched ring of the phones hasn't started yet. The entire day awaits and is filled with all manner of endless possibilities.

For me, its nothing short of magical.

2/365 - Luck and a Stiff One, drink that is

Its just not as easy as it should / could be. By the time I get home, its dark outside and quite cold. Maybe I'm just not inspired right now. Not sure which, but I am trying to stick to it. Seriously! Its day 2 and I'm already whining. We'll all need some luck and possibly a good stiff drink to make it through this project.

How's your project of choice going?

1/365 - Out of Focus

I took this and really liked the way it turned out. I was then talking with Mister about my 365 project and showed him the photo. The following dialogue ensued:

Mister: "Its blurry".

Me: "I know, it was meant to be."

... (stage directions) Mister - backpeddling and assuring Me that, yes indeed, he considers her a good photographer...Mister - exit stage right...

He doesn't 'get' me a lot of the time. I was very happy with how it turned out, it had spoken to me. Not in a big, bad profound way, but in a nice, calm, ok this is my first shot of the next 365 days kind of way. There's room for improvement but I am happy with shot number 1. What I don't like is the way I felt after Mister's comment. He was just being honest. Maybe he thought I didn't have in my contacts and I thought it was a clear and very focused shot. Who knows, but I felt like... like.. well, like I had made a huge mistake and that my first shot was a complete and utter failure. I wondered what anyone who actually saw it on the Flickr Pool: Project 365 would think. Would they laugh and call me amatuer (which, by the way I am and I'm ok with that) but I don't want to be mocked and have laughing fingers pointed at my photo (aka me). You know?

After a minute of serious doubt and considering what new photo I should either go take or just get out the tripod and take the same photo in the dim light but end up with a focused shot, I realized, it was MY first shot. Someone else can take their first shot and have it be all nice and focusy (yes, focusy, a new word), but this was mine and I had complete artistic (if you can call it that) control over it and I was ok with how it turned out. Actually, more than ok, pleased is the word I would use.

So, there you go, my day 1 of 365. I think I'll need serious luck to get through this project. But, that's why its called a challenge and not a party (or something similarly easy) right?!

A new week

Today is the first day of the rest of your life. I'm not sure whose quote that is, but this morning, it fits me. Since I'm not much of a New Year's Resolution gal, I've decided that either today, or tomorrow, no pressure, I will begin my own Project 365. I can't believe I just wrote that. I can't believe I'm admitting it in public. I JUST decided this morning that I need to stretch my creative wings in a more concrete way than I have in the past. I mean, I've created little projects for myself, but I pretty much need to commit to something bigger.

So, this is not my first (1/365), but a shot I got last week and never got around to posting. I liked the density of the lower cloud bank which then gave way to the airy and almost blue of the upper. But, you know me and I like the sky and the clouds as a general rule. (Note the new blog header photos as tangible evidence.)

Do you ever feel that way? Like you need to put yourself out there, just a bit more than you are comfortable with. Just to stretch and grow a bit more than on any normal given day.

What project or projects have you endeavored upon that have broadened your horizon or perspective? What did you learn from the experience? How would you change the project given what you learned during?

Just because

Just Read: A Long Way Gone

Author: Ishmael Beah

This is one of those books that you see around a lot and hear good things about so you pick it up for no other reason than everyone else is reading it.

Then, after I picked it up, there was all the hubbub about it being more fabricated than real. I guess there's still controversy about that. It seems a bit over the top to me, but I've never lived in Africa much less during a time when rebels are raiding the country and forcing young boys into service. So, what do I know.

The book was a bit much for me. I had a hard time finishing it. Truth be told, it bored me. That may sound terrible, but its just what it is. I didn't finish it. I may some day, but it will be mostly out of self imposed guilt rather than a deep desire to know how it all turns out.

Let me know if you have a different perspective. I'd love to know I'm wrong about this book and that I'll end up loving the second half.

Refresh ~ 2009

A photo I took recently during our "Arctic Blast 2008" (the coined phrase of the newscasters here, lovely). Anyway, it captured me and I really like it. I think its the monotoneness that soothes me. A wonderful way to start the new year. Fresh and reflective.

I thought this was a fun treatment.

Anyway...